Plastic handguard with a partial or full metal tube

ABSTRACT

The subject of the disclosure is a firearm with a plastic handguard where a metal tube is integrated in the plastic handguard by injection molding or casting. The inner part of the plastic handguard can incorporate a partial or complete metal tube. The metal tube providing both rigidity and better heat dissipation properties enabling the plastic handguard to withstand prolonged use and abuse from application of the firearm. The metal tube therefore dissipates heat from the gas combusting in the barrel of the firearms allowing the plastic handguard to stay cool.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The subject matter of the disclosure relates to a high-strength,impact-resistant plastic handguard that has a solid and rigid structure,which is not affected by the pressure created by the gas formed duringignition of the gunpowder. This is because the handguard quicklydissipates the heat generated by the gas and allows the handguard tocool due to a metal tube which covers the inner part of the handguard.The handguard is manufactured from a plastic material with injectionmolding or a casting method integrating a protective tube made of metalmaterial in the desired form.

BACKGROUND

In the relevant field of the art, plastic handguards do not have anyprotective metal tubes. For this reason, they do not have a solid andreliable structure like a handguard made of metal.

These types of handguards have some inherent problems. For example, thepressure and heat caused by gunpowder gas combusting as a result ofusing the rifle for a long time causes the plastic handguard to melt andbe damaged over time.

In addition, the handguard may be fragile or may flex depending on rawmaterial used to make the structure of the plastic handguard. In suchinstances, it is very difficult to obtain a solid and rigid handguardstructure.

Yet another disadvantage of these handguards is that the plastichandguard may be broken and damaged when the rifle is dropped by theuser or hits another object.

The subject matter of the disclosure is a plastic handguard whichcontains a partial or complete tube designed as an efficient andreliable structure in a way that eliminates the problems as discussedherein.

SUMMARY

In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided asystem, including:

A plastic handguard with a metal tube placed inside it. The metal tubeis placed inside the plastic handguard using injection molding or acasting method. The plastic handguard incorporating at least two metalslots. In another embodiment, the plastic handguard can be assembledfrom two pieces, each of which has one half of the metal tube and onehalf of the plastic piece that creates the outer shell of the plastichandguard.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure are shown in thedrawings and will be described below with reference to the figures,whereby elements having the same effect have been provided with the samereference numerals. The following is shown:

FIG. 1—General view of a firearm with a plastic handguard with partialor complete metal tubing inside;

FIG. 2—View of a plastic handguard with partial or complete metal tubinginside;

FIG. 3a —Sectional view of the plastic handguard in the direction of AAas indicated in FIG. 3b ;

FIG. 3b —top down view of the plastic handguard showing position of thetube in the plastic handguard;

FIG. 4—Exploded view of the components (tube, accessory attachment rail,screws, and screw plate) that make up the plastic handguard with themetal tube; and

FIG. 5—Another exploded view of the plastic handguard illustrating themetal tube and plastic handguard in two halves.

LIST OF NUMERALS

Numbers are placed on the figures in order to better understand theplastic handguard with a metal tube. The numerals are as follows:

1. Plastic handguard,

1.1 Plastic handguard halves,

2. Tube,

2.1 Tube halves,

3. Screw plate,

4. Accessory attachment rail, and

5. Metal slot.

First, a mold is designed to create a plastic handguard with a metaltube. The metal tube is placed in the mold and covered with the rawmaterial such as plastic such that it is a combined plastic handguard.

The metal tube creates a protective curtain that prevents contact of thecombusted gas and/or heat with coming in contact with the plastic partof the handguard. No matter how long the rifle is used, there is nodeformation of the plastic handguard due to this inner protectivecurtain. That is because metal rapidly dissipates the heat and providescooling of the handguard.

Moreover, the plastic nature of the handguard allows for design ofdecorative shapes quickly and easily by using metal for the interior andplastic for the exterior.

FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of the plastic handguard (1) installed untoa rifle and the same plastic handguard (1) shown standalone in FIG. 2with an accessory attachment rail (4).

The subject matter of the disclosure is the plastic handguard (1) with ametal tube (2) as shown in FIG. 3a . The plastic handguard (1) is formedby covering the metal tube (2) with plastic by injection molding or acasting method. The metal tube (2) shown in FIG. 4 is made of a metalmaterial in the desired form. It is designed to partially or completelycover the interior of the plastic handguard according to the desiredmanufacturing method. The protective metal tube (2) is placed in themold during the formation of the plastic handguard (1). After theinjection molding or casting process is completed, a plastic handguard(1) with a metal tube (2) is obtained as shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b .

Due to this metal tube (2), the handguard (1) is not affected by theadverse conditions created by the gunpowder gas combusting in thebarrel.

Moreover, the pressure and heat created by the combusting and expandingdoes not affect the plastic handguard as the rifle is used. That isbecause the plastic handguard (1) is not directly exposed to theseeffects and therefore does not melt or burn from prolong use of therifle.

This tube (2) is made of metal, which has heat conductive propertiessuch that it rapidly distributes the heat and prevents the handguardfrom melting and breaking.

In addition, the plastic handguard (1), with its interior covered with ametal tube (2), provides structure rigidity much like a metal handguardeven though the outer part of the plastic handguard is made of plastic,allowing the desired decorative shapes to be formed easily and quickly.

At the same time, as an alternative embodiment of production of theplastic handguard (1), as shown in FIG. 5, two halves of a plastichandguard (1.1) can be formed by plastic injection molding separately,on the two halve metal tubes (2.1). This embodiment of the disclosureallows for assembling of the two combined halves after the production ofplastic handguard parts (1.1) containing a metal tube piece (2.1) as asingle piece, left and right side, respectively.

At least two metal slots (5) are formed on the handguard (1), one oneach side as shown in FIG. 4. Screw plate (3) are positioned in theseslots (5). The screw plates (3) have threads in them allowing for secureattachment of the accessory attachment rail (4) using screws. Thus, amore robust structure is obtained by connecting the accessory attachmentrails (4) to these threaded screw plates (3). Based on the user'sdesire, the attachment rails (4) can be used to safely attach lamps,lasers and similar accessories to the firearm.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus, comprising: a plastic handguard; ametal tube placed inside the handguard; and at least two metal slotslaterally placed on an outer surface of the plastic handguard.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the metal tube is placed inside thehandguard by covering the metal tube with a plastic or plastic typematerial using injection molding or casting method.
 3. (canceled) 4.(canceled)
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the at least twometal slots are positioned on each side of the handguard.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 5, wherein at least one screw plate is positionedinto each of the at least two metal slots.
 7. An apparatus, comprising:a plastic handguard incorporating at least two vertically separatedhalves; a metal tube incorporating at least two vertically separatedhalves, wherein each of the at least two vertically separated halves ofthe metal tube corresponds to each of the at least two verticallyseparated halves of the plastic guard; wherein each of the at least twovertically separated halves of the metal tube is placed inside each ofthe at least two vertically separated halves of the plastic guard; andat least one metal slot is placed on an outer surface of each of the atleast two vertically separated halves of the plastic handguard.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 7, wherein the each of the at least two verticallyseparated halves of the metal tube placed inside the each of the atleast two vertically separated halves of the plastic handguard isachieved by covering each of the at least two vertically separatedhalves of the metal tube with a plastic or plastic type material usinginjection molding or casting method.